The Pakachoag tribe of the Nipmuc nation of Native Americans were the indigenous settlers of Quinsigamond, now known as Worcester. To the south was home to the Pequots; the east was home to the Massachusetts; the north was home to the Pawtuckets. The Mohawks lived along the Connecticut River. The main settlement of Indians in Worcester lived on Pakachoag Hill. For the Pakachoag, Worcester's Lake Quinsigamond offered fine hunting and fishing grounds a short distance from their main village near a spring on Pakachoag Hill in what is now Auburn. Mt. Wachusett to the north was considered a sacred place.
In 1646, the General Court of Massachusetts passed an "Act for the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Indians." Subsequently, the Reverend John Eliot, (who is best known for his work as a translator of the Bible into the Massachusetts dialect of the Algonquian language, the first Bible printed in America in 1662) traveled to Pakachoag to preach and convert the Nipmucs living there. Wattasacompanum, who claimed leadership over all Nipmucs, and James Speen, the Indian minister at Hassanamisco(Grafton), also accompanied Eliot. With this visit, Pakachoag became one of the “new” praying towns.
Metacomet, known as King Philip by the English, was the Grand Sachem of the Wampanogs. The Wampanoag lived in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as within a territory that encompassed current day Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands. He led an uprising of the Indians against the English settlers in the spring of 1675 in retailation for the death of his brother at the hands of the English. Many of the Indians from Pakachoag hill sided with him. With ongoing hostilities, many neutral residents of the Praying Towns of Natick, Stoughton, Lowell, Littleton and Hassanamisset were confined to their villages, thus restricted from their farms and unable to feed themselves. Others were sold as slaves, and many more were sent to Deer Island where many died of famine and lack of shelter from the cold. Although sporadic hostilities continued in the north, the war itself ended in August 1676 after King Phillip was killed. King Philip's War was proportionately one of the bloodiest and costliest in the history of America. ( Google "King Phillip's War" for more information)
Today, there's nothing left of the village and not much left of the spring, either. Much of the surrounding wetlands was filled years ago. A three- to four-acre parcel off College Street considered to be the location of the former village has recently been turned into a housing development.
Your journey will begin at a signpost (Stage 1) established by the Mass Bay Colony Tercentenary Committee. Take note of directions, dates and numbers. To see the area of the village Proceed in the direction and distance as instructed on this sign, there you will be in close proximity of the original site of the Pakachoog Indian village. Can you imagine the tranquility of years gone by, before houses and asphalt covered the hill.
To calculate the location of the Final; note the information on the sign at the listed coordinates, go to parking area then to stage 2. Follow instructions in stage 2 to complete your quest••do not mention any part of the field puzzle found at wp2 in your log- or risk deletion•••
The agricultural fields are leased to a local farmer, please be respectful of the crops:: The cache is not in the corn.
Happy hunting
Refinds allowed